Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga celebrates Congo's Mangbetu culture

Eddy Kamuanga Ilunga from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, pays tribute to the dying warrior culture known as the Mangbetu through his latest series of canvases.

The Mangbetu culture is known for the practice of Lipombo, a cultural tradition where mothers wrap their infant's head with cloth so that, as the cranium grows, it is pushed up giving the head an elongated appearance.

Ilunga first photographed elders and surviving members of the Mangbetu culture. Then, using acrylic and oil on canvass, he painted the elders in circuit board silhouettes, adding distinguishing elements of their culture.

Things such as blacksmithing and sculptor's tools, warrior symbols and extravagant headwear and ornaments are added to reflect elements of their cultural past. Infusing his art with contemporary signs of modern times such as bright linen and technology, he creates an interesting aesthetic on the death and birth of cultures and the factors that bring about these changes.

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